A problem arises in an optical switching system which performs switching using spatial light modulator arrays as switching elements when the spatial light modulator arrays require depolarized light and the light sources produce a highly polarized light. Lasers are used in optical switching systems in order to achieve large splitting ratios to make the large optical switches and to achieve high transmission rates. The problem arises because a laser is a highly polarized light source having a polarization ratio of approximately 100 to 1. A spatial light modulator such as a ferroelectric liquid crystal array is sensitive to the polarization orientation of the light. This is because a liquid crystal or any other type of polarization routing switch typically has an input polarizer and an output polarizer which is rotated 90.degree. with respect to the input polarizer. When the state of the material between the polarizers is such that there is no polarization rotation, much of the light is absorbed by the output polarizer. When the state of the material between the polarizers is in the appropriate state to cause a 90.degree. polarization rotation, much of the light will pass through the output polarizer. There is a problem in using a polarized light source because the state of polarization might be such that most of the light is blocked from passing through the input polarizer. In order to overcome this problem in the prior art, each laser must be physically adjusted to have the proper polarization in order to work with polarization sensitive switching elements. As an alternative, it is also known to connect an optical fiber to the laser and then rotate the optical fiber to achieve the correct polarization. Either of these methods however causes a large number of problems during the manufacturing, installation and field support of an optical switching system.